Oxyacetylene Welding Equipment Prepared by Dr. Dale Carpentier and Mr. Barry Brazelton Monroe Area High School Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office June 2007

JOB 1 : Oxyacetylene Welding Equipment ID E.Q. - What are the parts and functions of the oxyacetylene outfit?

Oxygen Tank Long round tank with thick walls built to hold gasses under great pressure. Sounds hollow when tapped. May be green

Acetylene Tank Usually black or red. Filled with a porous material which causes tank to “thud” when tapped. Also contains acetone which mixes with acetylene to stabilize gas and prevent spontaneous explosions.

Oxygen tank valve Opens tank. Made of brass. Seals completely closed or open. Open all the way when welding

Acetylene Tank Valve Opens tank. Some use T-wrench. Open 1/4 to 1/3 turn.

Oxygen Regulator Controls flow of oxygen to tip. Has 2 gauges and regulator adjusting screw. Has green color.

Tank pressure gauge Records pressure in tank. 0 - 4000 psi. New tanks register 2000 - 2200 psi.

Working pressure gauge Records pressure at welding tip. 0 - 150 psi.

Regulator adjusting screw Sets working pressure for tip. Turn clockwise to raise pressure. Turn counter-clockwise to lower pressure. Must open torch valve to release pressure and bring gauge down.

Acetylene Regulator Controls flow of acetylene to tip. Has 2 gauges and regulator adjusting screw. Has red color.

Tank pressure gauge Records pressure in tank. 0 - 400 psi. New tank registers about 200 psi.

Working pressure gauge Records pressure at welding tip. 0 - 30 psi. Red line from 15 to 30 psi because of explosive danger.

Regulator Adjusting screw Sets working pressure for tip. Turn clockwise to raise pressure. Turn counter-clockwise to lower pressure. Must open torch valve to release pressure and bring gauge down. NEVER ADJUST ABOVE 15 PSI!!!

Oxygen hose Green in color. Rubber reinforced with nylon flexible hoses. Usually 25 feet long.

Acetylene hose Red in color. Rubber reinforced with nylon flexible hoses. Usually 25 feet long.

Oxygen Torch valve Allows oxygen into torch handle mixing chamber. The more you open the more gas that flows.

Acetylene Torch valve Allows acetylene into torch handle mixing chamber. The more you open the more gas that flows.

Torch Body Made up of the torch valves and mixing chamber. Welding tips attach to body. Two types of tips attach to torch body. Welding Cutting

Welding tip Used to weld or braze metal. Small sizes for thin metal and larger sizes for thick metal. Tips sizes range from 1 to 9.

Cutting tip Used to cut metal. Has an oxygen control valve and an oxygen cutting lever. Oxygen torch valve must be open all the way to use the cutting torch.

Oxygen bursting disc Found on tank near valve. Acts as a relief valve if pressure gets to high so tank won’t explode.

Acetylene fusible plugs Found on top and/or bottom of tank. Acts as a relief valve if pressure gets to high so tank won’t explode.

Welding goggles/glasses Must be worn when welding to prevent damage to eyes. Shade 5 is required for gas welding or brazing.

Welding rod Used as filler rod when welding. Diameters range from 1/16" to 1/8". Small rod for thin metal. About 42,000 lbs. tensile strength.

Brazing rod Used when welding is to hot or when strength isn’t as critical. We have 2 rod sizes, 3/32" and 1/8". We have flux covered rods and bare rods. Do not melt base metal when brazing.

Other Equipment Friction lighter Tip Cleaners Used to light oxyacetylene torch. Tip Cleaners Used to clean dirty tips.

Fire brick Leather gloves Used to protect hands while welding. Fire brick Should weld on fire brick when ever possible. They are a special brick that is not affected by high temperatures. Do not weld on concrete because it will break up.

Other Equipment, cont. Soap stone markers Fire Blanket Used to mark metal. Fire Blanket Blanket made with fire retardant chemicals. Wrap blanket around person if they are burning. Try to avoid running and screaming through shop if you are on fire. It is very difficult to throw a blanket on a moving target.

File Wire brush Used to clean metal. Used to clean metal. Used to buff welds

Welding Terms Base metal Puddle Metal being welded or brazed. Pool of molten metal.

Safety Tanks should be chained in a cart to prevent them from falling. Tanks not in use should be stored separately with caps on as well as chained to wall. Equipment can be checked for leaks using soapy water. NEVER USE OIL AS A LUBRICANT ON OXYACETYLENE EQUIPMENT! Graphite can be used to lubricate parts.